Re: SRSG timing & other Q's

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 5/21/02 7:46:37 AM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
writes:


>
> Hi all,
> Ive been working on a SRSG for my 1440w dual 12/60 powered tesla coil.  Ive 
> been having all sorts of problems with alignment of the electrodes at the 
> voltage peaks.  Whenever i simply run the gap motionless, it works fine and 
> does not fire the safety gap.  When i get it spinning, it rarely (few times 
> a sec) fires the rotary gap and always in the safety gap.  Im simply running 
> the coil without a seconday(with a primary and caps only).  I think that i 
> may have solved my problem with a handbuilt cradle type mount.  Are cradle 
> mounts a good way to get a SRSG up and running??  Ive tried, loosening and 
> re-adjusting the disc, about 100 times, and never really get it to work 
> correctly.  I am pretty sure that the motor runs sync, it passed the 
> florescent light test.  But one question that i have is, is it dangerous to 
> run my sync gap if im not totally sure that the alignment is correct.  I 
> want to be sure that i am not going to fry my $80 worth of transformers from 
> testing it.  For example, is the situation that i described above, with out 
> the safety gap, gonna ruin my transformers?  I kept the safety gap just to 
> be sure, but is it normal for the safety to fire, if my dwell time(electrode 
> alignment) is off.  Any other tips that anyone has for the poor 
> scientist(lol) about these types of gaps.  Also, if there is any good sites 
> that i may not know about that cover this, please send them to me.  Any help 
> is appreciated.
>
> Steve Ward.




Steve,

When I was first adjusting my synchronous rotary gap, I kept the safety gaps
set a little closer than normal.  When the phase angle was off, the safety gaps
did fire.  In fact, that is how I finally figured out when I was getting close
to the correct phase adjustment, they quit firing.  I would suggest using the
cradle for adjustment and leave the rotor locked on the shaft.  I only messed
around with this for a few hours before deciding to build John's remote phase
adjustment system.  It only required a spare small variac and some motor run
caps.  It really is a great system.  You can adjust the phase angle while the
coil is running.  I can even switch from 120 to 240 bps under power.

Ed Sonderman